Corrective means for the human foot



' De@ 26, 1944). E. LEDERMAN 2,366,116

CORECTIYE MEANS FORV THE HUMAN FOQT Filed Nov. 17, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet lmadurar/513W:

Y INVENTUR E.5-| E11ERMAN A GR EY Dec. 26, 1944. E. s. LEDERMANCORRECTIVE MEANS FOR THE HUMAN FOOT.

Filed NOV. 17, 1943 Sheets-Sheet 2 E- 5; LEU ERMAN AT DRNEY 1251-5 /0INVENTUR l Patented Dea ze, `1944 IUlsu'rlsz'l), STATES PATENT OFFICEconnacrrvn Maaizlgilsrnn nUMANFoo'r Y 'non Nn. masiva4 This inventionrelates to corrective meansfor the human foot, particularly to supportsfor the arches thereof, and has for an objectthe .provision of a, deviceof the character designated which shallbe simple and easy of applicationand which shall be adapted to support a weak and/or abnormal arch in itsnormal, healthy position, thereby ailording the maximum of comfort tothe user.

A further object of my invention' is to provide arch supporting meansfor the human foot which shall combine the maximum of comfort withmaximum support of the bones comprising the transverse arch, while atthe same time creating a minimum of pressure on the plantar arteries inthe Ioot,`thus effecting aminimum of interference with circulation.

A further object of my invention is. to provide a, cushioned support forthe transverse arch'oi' the human foot which shall be effectiveparticularly to aiord a rm support for the scaphoid, internal cuneiformand cuboid bones of the transverse arch. Y y

' opposite side oi.' the shoe.

the relation or the support to the arch and Vthe particular pontions ofthe arch supported thereby; Fig. 7 is a side view of a shoe broken awayto show the human foot therein and. showing the skeleton in dotted lineswith the line-of the fleshand skin of the foot, and my improved archsupport incorporated beneath the arch.; and

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 'I showing the Referring to thedrawings, I show in Fig. l an innersole ID which preferably ismade ofrelatively soft material covered with al soft leather covering IIstitched around the edges as shown at I2. Along the sides of the forwardpart of the inner sole I provide elongated, relatively thin soft pads I3and Il which are adapted to bear' against the side of the great toe andthe head of the rst metatarsal bone aswell as the side of the little toeand the head of the iifth` metatarsal bone and serve to preventcallouses from forming on the sides of said toes and the foot at saidbones. Incorporated in the innersole is my irn- A very important objectof my invention is to provide a cushioned support for the transversearch of the human foot which shall be adapted to hold this arch levelwhich is its natural posi? tion and which shall be adjustablelongitudinally and as to height to adapt it to the needs oftheparticular user.

A stillurther object ofmy invention is to provide an arch support whichshall be effective to' hold the foot level with a rmsupport under thecuboid bone of the transverse arch at the outer side and under thescaphoid and internal cuneiform bones at the inner sides and one whichshall not pinch the arteries and thus interfere with the circulation inthe foot.

A device embodying these and other features of my invention isillustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part `of thisapplication Fig. 1 is a plan view of an innersole for a shoe having myimploved supporting means incorporated therein, parts being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of an innersole for a shoe having my improved solesuperimposed thereon v to illustrate the diiferenoe in outline;

'Figs 3 and 4 are detailed views of small pads incorporated in thesupport at the sides thereof;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line Fig. 6 is a plan viewshowing the skeleton of the human foot in dotted lines with my improvedarch support superimposed thereon to illustrate proved arch support I6.The arch support comprises 3 sep'arate sections I1, I8 and I9, the sections I8 and. I9, at the sides, being generally triangular in shape, andprovided with hinge vgrooves along the Iborders of said sections. Thesupport is in the form of a pad of relatively rm mate rial such asleather or rubber, with the hinge grooves 2| and 22 cut into thematerialto aiord extra flexibility along the lines of the grooves. As

1 shown in Fig. 1, the grooves 2l Aand 22 are rela- 'tively wide withtheir inner sides skived to slope toward the forward portion' II. Also,the area in the forward section indicated by the line 2li is slightlyhollowed out in order that the pad shall not pinch the plantar arteriesin the sole of the foot and impede circulation- The forward edges of thesection I1 are skived, as indicated, to reduce the height of the supportunder the meta- `tarsal bones, but the outer sides of the sectionseral-spreading of the transverse arch, I provide a relatively soft pad26, which is hinged to the innersole Ill alongthe side of the .archsupport to provide lateral support to the scaphoid and inner cuneiformbones. Also, there is preferably incorporated in the inner sole l a heelsupport pad 21 which raises the outer side of the heel and is usuallynecessary in order to level up the heel bone and cause Vit to assume itsnormal vertical position. In weakened feet there is a tendency for theheel bone to roll over to the outer side.

On the under side of the innersole I0 is a pin 28, indicated in dottedlines in Fig. l, for securing the innersoleagainstiforward displacementin a shoe.

In order that the shape of my improved innersole, as compared with theusual innersole of a shoe, may be seen, I show it in Fig. 2 with theusual innersole 29 superimposed'therenn` in dotted lines wherever itdeparts from the outline of my innersole. It will be -seen that theparts In Figs. 6, 7 and 8, I show the relation of my improved archsupport to the skeleton of the human foot. By referring to Fig. 6, itwill be seen that the'section I1 provides support for the middlecuneiform and exter-nal cuneiform bones of the transverse arch and forthe rearward ends of the second, third and fourth metatarsals, and

partialsupport for the bases of the rst and fth metatarsal's. Section I9is so shaped as to af#- ford support to the internal cuneiform andscaphoid bones, while the section I`8 is so shaped as to afford supportto the cuboid bone of the.

transverse arch. The grooves 2| and 22 in the support permit hingemovements between the.

sections and further aid in providing a rm grip on the. transverse arch.By referring to Figs. 7' and 8 the support afforded to the inner andouter bones of the transverse arch by the sections I8v and I9 will befurther appreciated.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided an improved archsupport which is adapted to form an integral part of a shoe and can beremoved and adjusted to accommodate the height of the transverse arch ofthe individual user and which fits under and affords support to theseparate bones ofthe transverse arch'.

Itwill be further seen that my'improved arch supportaffords a special support to the side bones' of the transverse arch, leaving the innerportion" placed thereupon as are specifically departing from the spiritthereof, and I desire,

therefore, that only such limitations shallbe set forth in the appendedclaims.

What I claim is:

l1. A support for the transverse arch of the human foot comprising asectional pad `with thev sections hinged together by. weakening linesand.

including two sections extending forwardly from the heel line at thesides for affordingilrm trans# verseiy level-support toztlie=ouboid, thescaphoid and the inner cuneiformbones of the arch, and

.a third section extending forwardly of the other two sections forvsupporting the rearward ends of'nll'thezmetatarsalbones.

'2. A support for the transverse arch of the hinnan foot comprising asectional pad with the of the support relieved so as not to impedecirculation, and holding the arch in a raised, level position. It willstill further be apparent from the foregoing description that by reasonofthe' particular .forms of the sections of the support and by reason ofthe means provided for the ad'- justment of the position of thesupplemental support, I have provided for the maximum yof comfort andutility to the user.

While `I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious 'tothose skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptibleof various other changes and modifications, without sectionshingedtogether by weakening lines and including two sections extendingforwardly from the heel' line at the sides for affording firmtransversely levellsupport .to .the cuboid the .,soaphoid and the innercuneiformibones of the arch, a

iform bones 4of the transverse arch to afford.

lateral support thereto.

3. Ar support for the transverse arch `of 'the human foot comprisingasectional pad with the sections hinged together by weakeningv lines andincluding two. sections extending forwardly from' the.heel line at .thesides. for affording firm transversely level supportto the ,cuboid, thescaphoid'.

:and the inner cunei'form bones of the archa 'third section extendingforwardly of the other two sections for supporting the rearward ends ofall the metatarsal bones, a, section bent lupwardly alongside thescaphoid and inner cuneiform bones of the transverse arch toafl'ord.lateral support thereto and relatively narrow supplementary padsdisposed beneath the two sections at the sides to raise the sides of thearch higher than the central portion and relieve pressure on the plantarvarteries of the foot.

'4. A support as `deiinedin claim'2 in winch .the said third sectionextends forwardly beneath the rearward .ends of thefmetatarsal' bonesand terminates'in a thin edge forwardly of Asaid'rearward' ends.'

5. A support as defined in claim'21in whic`h 'the sections at the sidesare generally 4triangular in shape', the pad being provided with 'hingegrooves along the inner borders of .said sections, andthe .central areaof said pad is'slightly hollowed out the plantar ar- )the metatarsalbones, the area between said supporting portions being slightly hollowedout to free circulation in the zplantar arteries.

